Crispy Suya-Spiced Salmon

By Kiano Moju

Published June 16, 2025

  • David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne.
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
30 minutes
Prep Time
5 minutes
Cook Time
25 minutes
Rating
5(228)
Comments
Read comments

Traditionally used to season grilled meat skewers in Nigeria, suya spice (also called yaji) is a spicy peanut-based blend that brings a bold, layered flavor to anything you are throwing on the grill — and it has plenty of other uses, too. Here, the coarsely ground peanuts in the suya meld with panko to give the crunchiest crust to roasted salmon while adding a Nigerian spin. Using a bit of oil helps the panko mixture cling to the fillets, creating a crispy, flavorful dish that pairs perfectly with rice and a fresh cucumber and tomato salad.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

FOR THE SUYA SPICE COATING

  • ¼ cup roasted unsalted peanuts

  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger

  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika

  • 1 teaspoon granulated garlic 

  • ½ teaspoon granulated onion

  • ½ teaspoon ground cayenne

  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)

  • ¼ cup panko bread crumbs

  • 1 garlic clove, minced

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil or softened butter

FOR THE SALMON

  • 4 (6-ounce) salmon fillets (skin-on or skinless)

  • Kosher salt and black pepper

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

6 grams carbs; 94 milligrams cholesterol; 458 calories; 11 grams monosaturated fat; 8 grams polyunsaturated fat; 6 grams saturated fat; 31 grams fat; 1 gram fiber; 442 milligrams sodium; 38 grams protein; 1 gram sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat the oven to 400 degrees and set a rack in the middle. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

  2. Step 2

    Make the suya spice coating: Combine the peanuts, ginger, paprika, granulated garlic, granulated onion, cayenne and salt in a mini food processor or blender, pulsing until the peanut bits are the size of panko bread crumbs. Tip into a small bowl. Add the panko, breaking up any large chunks with your fingertips, then stir in the minced garlic and olive oil.

  3. Step 3

    Prep the salmon: Place the salmon, skin side down, on the baking sheet, leaving space between each fillet. Season on top with salt and pepper. Spoon the suya spice coating over the top of each salmon fillet, lightly pressing to adhere. (Don't worry about the sides.)

  4. Step 4

    Roast until the coating is golden brown and salmon flakes easily with a fork, about 12 minutes. Serve with your desired side dishes.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
228 user ratings
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Comments

APRN

Made this last night. There was some of the suya mixtureleft after prepping the salmon, so I cut 2 inch-thick slices from a head of cabbage, drizzled them with olive oil, pressed the reserved suya on top of them, and added them to the pan with the salmon. Delicious!

Vicki

Delicious! As with other fish toppings, I used spray oil on top after putting the dry mix on the salmon. Much easier than mixing oil with dry mix. Also, if you have extra topping, you can easily store the dry version in a jar on a shelf.

Joan

Delicious! I paired it with lightly steamed sugar snap peas from our growers market and they provided a great foil for the spicy fish. Also have suya mixture left and I'm planning on topping a baked sweet potato with it.

Paul W

If you're going to make this recipe, I strongly endorse buying prepared suya spice in an ethnic market or online. It took less than 5 minutes to prep (I just added fresh garlic, olive oil, and panko to a quarter cup of the prepared suya spice.) I used a suggestion from a commenter and sprayed the salmon with Pam before throwing it into the oven. It took longer to preheat the oven than it did to prepare the recipe, and it was DELICIOUS! Will definitely make this again.

Peedee

I made this last night and it was a hit! One of my favorite parts of these recipes is visiting ethnic markets to get the ingredients. The African market where I found the spice blend did not disappoint. I felt like I had found a little piece of another country in my hometown. Don't be afraid of the heat! My aging stomach makes it hard to enjoy spicy Mexican or Indian food, but this heat was different. The tingling felt more like the mala of Szechuan cooking. I paired it with asparagus.

Stacey

Coated two nice grouper fillets with this crust and roasted as directed. Tasted okay. Some of my spices were on the older side but I think this heavy of a seasoning is better suited for chicken or pork. I feel this would be especially true with a more oily and flavorful fish like wild salmon. Farmed salmon should be avoided as it has PCB levels 16x that of wild caught.

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